Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned on Friday till 31st July during the pre-lunch sitting itself as Opposition parties comprising the INDIA political alliance demanded a discussion on Manipur after putting off all other business.
Just as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla initiated the Question Hour, Congress leader in the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asked about the no-confidence notice given by his party. He recalled a no-confidence motion given on 10th May, 1978 was taken up for discussion the same day.
The Speaker said the Question Hour be disposed of first, as it was important, and asked members if they were not interested in it. As he was speaking, some members came and stood near the Table of the House.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said as per Rules, a 10 days’ time could elapse for a discussion after the admission of a no-confidence motion. The government was, however, ready for the discussion, whenever the Speaker decides to hold it, he said.
The government “has the numbers,” the minister said, adding, “if the Opposition was so keen on the issue, it could defeat a government Bill and the issue will be resolved “automatically”. As the disturbance continued, the speaker adjourned the House till 12 noon.
Meeting again, the House took up and passed three Bills after minimum proceedings during continuous shouting of slogans below the Speaker’s chair.
These Bills were the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Amendment Bill, 2023; the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023 and the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023.
The Rajya Sabha sitting ended suddenly at 11.26 am, less than half an hour after assembly, as Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar announced adjournment till Monday, when Opposition members tried to argue for their notices under Rule 267.
The Rule provides for putting off all business to discuss an issue proposed by members who give the notice.
After a brief farewell of retiring BJP member from Goa, Vinay Dinu Tendulkar, the Chairman said he had received 47 notices under Rule 267 seeking a discussion on Manipur situation. The members who gave the notices mainly belonged to the INDIA constituents.
Dhankhar said he faced this situation during the whole week when notices were filed under Rule 267 for Manipur. He said he had indicated on 20th July itself that a short duration discussion (SDD) notice for Manipur discussion was already approved and the Government was ready for it.
Even after that, the members were filing the same notice under another Rule repeatedly, he said. This did not send a good signal to people. There were inputs received by him that people were expressing alarming concern over the House proceedings getting disrupted, he said.
The chairman said the members should consider how many notices under Rule 267 were admitted in the current century, i.e. in the past 23 years. The House should realise the significance of the Question Hour which was often lost in the disruptions. The Question Hour was the heart of Parliamentary work and the whole nation looked at it, Dhankhar said.
As Trinamul Congress leader Derek O’Brien tried to speak when the chairman was still on the subject, the chairman objected to this. A large number of Opposition members from the Congress and other parties rose at their seats supporting the Trinamul Congress leader. The chairman adjourned the proceedings till Monday.